Andrae Curtis Noel, a 31-year-old father, aspiring rapper, and actor known to loved ones as "Duece," was a creative soul with a passion for music. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 6, 1982, he attended JFK Kennedy Sr. High School and later moved to the Metairie area. He was remembered by his family for his loving, kind, and generous nature. His mother recalled him as a "mama's boy" who checked on her daily, and his sister cherished him as her "everything." Noel was the father of two children who were left to grow up without him. His friends and family remembered his magnetic personality and his dream of making a name for himself in the entertainment world, a dream he had begun to realize with appearances in a few movies.
On the evening of Tuesday, May 20, 2014, Noel was in the Allendale neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana, a city he had recently been visiting. Shortly after 10 p.m., Shreveport Police were called to the 1800 block of Patzman Street near the corner of Hollywood Avenue to investigate reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found Noel suffering from at least one gunshot wound to his upper body. He was rushed to LSU Hospital for emergency treatment, but despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m.
The initial investigation into the Black male's death was handled by the Shreveport Police Department. Detectives canvassed the neighborhood, speaking with potential witnesses to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. The day after the incident, investigators announced they were searching for a person of interest, 20-year-old Tevin Charles Evans, who was wanted for questioning. Police believed Evans had information crucial to understanding what had happened on Patzman Street that night. A warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Within days, the Shreveport Police Department's efforts led to an arrest. On May 23, 2014, Tevin Evans was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force at a residence in the 9100 block of Kingston Road. Following his arrest, Evans was questioned by detectives and subsequently booked into the Shreveport City Jail. He was charged with one count of second-degree murder in connection with Andrae Noel's death. His bond was set at $500,000.
Despite the swift arrest, the subsequent legal proceedings and the current status of the case against Tevin Evans are not readily available in public reports. The motive behind the shooting and the specific details of the evidence that led investigators to charge Evans have not been publicly disclosed. The case remains a painful memory for Noel's family, who were left grappling with the sudden and violent loss of a beloved son, brother, and father.
Andrae Noel was laid to rest on May 31, 2014, following a funeral service at Richardson Funeral Home in Jefferson, Louisiana. His obituary remembered his vibrant spirit and the love he had for his family, including his parents, children, and siblings. Online memorial pages show that his friends and family continue to light candles and share memories of him, keeping his spirit alive years after his tragic death. The case, while resulting in an arrest, leaves many unanswered questions for a community still mourning the loss of a man whose life was cut short just as he was pursuing his dreams.